


Together

by witchchester



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst, Episode: s02e10 The End of Something, Gen, Good Sibling Luther Hargreeves, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Protective Luther Hargreeves, Reginald Hargreeves' A+ Parenting, Season/Series 02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:14:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25938742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchchester/pseuds/witchchester
Summary: He could still hear his friends screaming— Davechoking. Looking forward, he could see all of them, their hands reaching for him as they bled out. Texas began to fade away. Maybe he’d never left the war. Maybe everything — the cult he couldn’t escape, the second apocalypse, Ben dying to save everyone from it — was all in his head. Maybe—A hand grabbed his shoulder. Klaus almost panicked, but the touch was too gentle to be from an enemy.—Or the one where the bounty hunters' gunshots trigger Klaus's PTSD, and Luther decides Klaus shouldn't have to face it alone. Set during 2x10.
Relationships: Klaus Hargreeves & Luther Hargreeves
Comments: 18
Kudos: 211





	1. Klaus

**Author's Note:**

> After repeatedly seeing GIFs of Luther protecting Klaus during 2x10 on Twitter, I decided to write something about it. My stories are normally one-shots, but this is going to be a two-parter. It'll be the same event in two different views -- Klaus's and Luther's. They can both be read on their own.
> 
> Thanks for reading. I appreciate you.

Every single gunshot took him back.

As Klaus ran, his vision flashed between different years. He could see Luther and Allison, but the members of his prior platoon were running alongside them. His mind couldn’t decide if he was in Dallas or Vietnam. It was as if half of him was in each place.

Despite the chaos unraveling in his head, Klaus managed to get behind a few crates. His lungs stopped working as he fell to his knees. All of his senses were overloaded, but he couldn’t run away. He was trapped inside a flurry of past trauma and new bullets.

With a choked gasp, his hands shot up to cover his ears. It didn’t stop anything.

He could still hear his friends screaming— Dave _choking_. Looking forward, he could see all of them, their hands reaching for him as they bled out. Texas began to fade away. Maybe he’d never left the war. Maybe everything — the cult he couldn’t escape, the second apocalypse, Ben dying to save everyone from it — was all in his head. Maybe—

A hand grabbed his shoulder. Klaus almost panicked, but the touch was too gentle to be from an enemy. The stranger slowly pulled him back, wordlessly bringing him into their chest. He was able to realize that they weren’t trying to hurt him; they were attempting to _protect_ him. The strong arm that weaved its way around his shaking limbs wanted to keep him safe.

The world was burning, but someone who loved him was watching so he wouldn’t have to. Klaus allowed himself to sink back and close his eyes.

When he opened them again, the only person he could see was Vanya. _Was she okay?_ The moment his hands fell, a different type of noise flew into the air. It was shrill and painful and _petrifying_ , enough to have him scrambling right back into the stranger’s chest. As soon as he ducked back down and covered his ears again, the strong arm moved back around him.

Between the person tightly holding onto him and his sister, Klaus knew where he had to be.

After a blast ripped through the ground, everything went silent. The sudden change was almost dizzying. Without the firings, he could hear how quick his breathing was. Had it been that way the entire time? As he blinked his eyes open, his hands moved down to the arm in front of him.

_Luther._

He squeezed his brother’s arm once — twice — before looking up. Even after Luther (concernedly) glanced down at him, Klaus still found himself in a state of shock. Luther, who so outwardly disliked him, chose to comfort him. With their makeshift barricade, he still would’ve been safe if his brother hadn’t grabbed him.

Next to him, a small voice whispered “It’s over.” Allison. Very slowly, Klaus let go of Luther’s arm. His mind slowly started piecing itself back together as they stood.

He was still shaken up, but he was present. He was _there_ and ready to help, and it wasn’t because of the silence. Luther saw him breaking and got to him before he could completely fall apart.

When they got home, Klaus would have to thank him. Maybe… Maybe if he told Luther just how much his presence helped, something would change. Maybe they could start to be real brothers again— Ones that enjoyed being together and helped each other get better.

Yeah. Klaus could see it. He let a small smile grace his lips before he focused in on the two women left standing.


	2. Luther

He was slowly getting used to the sound of gunshots.

As Luther ran, he visually checked on Allison and Klaus. They were both following him, but only one of them seemed to be with him. His brother’s eyes were too distant. His immediate thought was that he was high, but one more look and Luther knew it was something else. He could almost feel Klaus’s fear radiating off of him.

Near the barn, they found a few crates to hide behind. As soon as Luther sat down, Allison pressed herself against his chest. He threw a protective arm around her, but his attention remained on Klaus. The way his brother fell onto his knees— It didn’t look like a choice.

Their relationship hadn’t always been broken. As they grew up, they grew apart. They stopped talking and started arguing. Klaus would constantly whine about how shitty their dad was, and Luther would go off on him because… it was their dad. He was supposed to know best, wasn’t he? So when he did not-so-great things — like connecting Klaus’ addictions to weakness — Luther automatically followed suit.

Only problem was, their dad hadn’t known best.

Reaching forward, Luther gently rested his hand over his brother’s shoulder. He felt Klaus tense up, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. As carefully as he could, he guided him closer. Once he was next to Allison, Luther wrapped his free arm around Klaus’s raised ones. He tried not to think about how shaky Klaus was.

Reginald never cared about Luther, Klaus, or any of his children. He was cold-hearted and _abusive_ , and… he knowingly built every trench that separated Luther from his siblings. His relationships with them — with _Klaus —_ would’ve been so different if he’d just stopped listening.

Luther couldn’t go back and change his actions, but he could build bridges. Starting with seeing Klaus as the person he really was— A resilient, courageous, and much-too-forgiving _brother_.

With two of his siblings safe in his arms, Luther looked up. He wasn’t expecting to see Vanya floating in front of the barn. He already apologized to her, but maybe his second bridge could be getting to know her and her powers. Their dad lost his chance to connect with her, but Luther still had his.

Klaus shifted. Realizing he was covering his sibling’s vision, Luther moved his arm down. As Vanya started to glow, the world started buzzing. It made his ears ache, but Klaus panicked and suddenly the noise didn’t matter. His brother fell back against his chest, his trembling hands back over his ears. Luther immediately put his arm around him again.

After a blast ripped through the ground, the gunfire finally stopped. The only sound left was Klaus’s erratic breathing. Had it been that way the entire time? _Would he be okay?_ Two hands wrapped around his arm, squeezing once. Twice. When Luther looked down, he realized Klaus was already watching him… Almost like he was making sure Luther was actually there. What had been going through his head?

A small voice — Allison — whispered “It’s over.” A moment later, Klaus slowly let go. Once Luther moved his arms away from his siblings, all three of them returned to their feet.

A sea of slain bounty hunters surrounded them, but just for a second, Luther glanced back at Klaus. He still looked shaken up, but Luther could tell he was there and ready to help.

Just like always.

When they got home, Luther would have to talk to him. Maybe… Maybe Klaus would tell him exactly what happened, and something would change. Maybe they could start to be real brothers again— Ones that enjoyed being together and helped each other get better.

Yeah, Luther could see it. He let a proud smile wash over him before he focused in on the two women left standing.


End file.
